Pan support, gas hob and method for producing a pan support

ABSTRACT

A pan support for a gas hob includes self-supporting arms, which each have a bearing surface for a cooking vessel and a plurality of gas-outlet openings for supplying a fuel-gas/air mixture for forming a flame beneath the cooking vessel.

The present invention relates to a pan support and a gas hob having such a pan support. Additionally the invention relates to a method for producing a pan support.

Gas cooking points normally comprise a hob plate with a through-hole on which a gas burner is arranged. The gas burner has a gas valve for supplying fuel-gas, where the gas valve is normally arranged beneath the hob plate. In this regard the fuel-gas is mixed with primary air to make a flammable fuel-gas/air mixture. This normally takes place in a mixing chamber arranged beneath the hob plate.

Additionally a gas cooking point can comprise a pan support. In this regard the pan support can be provided as a removable component, to simplify cleaning of the gas cooking point for example. The pan support is normally just a support structure, which is set up to hold a cooking vessel above the gas burner.

The gas burner usually comprises a burner upper part, which is arranged above the hob plate and which has gas burner outlets. The fuel-gas/air mixture is supplied at the gas burner openings to maintain a flame beneath the cooking vessel for the purpose of heating same. The burner upper part and the pan support are normally realized in the form of separate components.

Given this background an object of the present invention consists in making an improved pan support available.

Accordingly a pan support for a gas hob is proposed that has self-supporting arms, which each have a bearing surface for a cooking vessel and gas-outlet openings for supplying a fuel-gas/air mixture for forming a flame beneath the cooking vessel.

A “gas hob” refers in particular to a household appliance with one or more gas cooking points. In particular a respective gas hob has a proposed pan support, which can be attached to a hob plate of the gas hob.

The “bearing surface” is, in particular, a surface on which a cooking vessel such as a pan or wok for example rests during cooking.

A “self-supporting arm” is understood in particular to mean an arm or finger respectively in which supported loads are only distributed to one of the two sides (ends) of the self-supporting arm. One side is also referred to as a supported side. By loads is meant for example loads that are exerted on the arm by the cooking vessel resting on the bearing surface. In particular when the pan support is in the attached state, in which the pan support is attached to a hob plate of the gas hob, such a self-supporting arm can only be connected to the hob plate at the supported side. In this regard the other side of the self-supporting arm can be free-floating. The other side is also referred to as the free side or free end respectively.

It should be noted that a channel leading to the gas outlet openings can be provided in the interior of the self-supporting arm. “Channel” means in particular a hollow space that is bounded by a solid material of the pan support along its length and is set up to route a fluid, in particular the fuel-gas/air mixture, along its length.

By “forming a flame” is meant in particular the creation and maintenance of the flame by feeding in—through the channel—the fuel-gas/air mixture, which can be ignited by an igniter or similar outside the gas outlet openings.

The quantity of self-supporting arms preferably comprises between three and six, particularly preferably four or five, and very particularly preferably four.

By “beneath the cooking vessel” is meant in particular “between the cooking vessel and hob plate when the pan support is attached to the hob plate”.

If the gas outlet openings are realized on the self-supporting arms an integration of function can be effected since on the one hand the self-supporting arms support the cooking vessel and at the same time can feed the fuel-gas/air mixture to form the flame. In particular no additional gas burner covering or burner upper part with gas outlet openings is required.

Furthermore—compared to using a pan support element supported on both sides—just one connection to the hob plate can be provided in place of two in the case of a respective self-supporting arm. The quantity of connections between the pan support, or the self-supporting arms respectively, and the hob plate can be minimized therefore.

As a result an individual, high-quality design of the pan support and a gas hob can be provided. The accessibility of the hob plate in the area beneath the self-supporting arms, for wiping and similar, can especially be improved. Simplified cleaning can therefore result for a gas hob equipped with the proposed pan support.

In particular the gas outlet openings along a direction of extension of a respective self-supporting arm can be arranged next to each other. Particularly preferably the gas outlet openings can be set apart from each other by the same spacing. Heat can therefore be transferred evenly and over a wide area to the underside of the cooking vessel.

According to an embodiment the self-supporting arms each run radially outward from a central area of the pan support, and a single connecting segment is realized in the central area for connecting the self-supporting arms to a hob plate of the gas hob.

In particular the “central area” can be an area around a central axis of the pan support. This means the self-supporting arms can be arranged in particular all around a central axis of the pan support and run radially outward from the central axis.

In particular the “connecting segment” serves on the one hand as a base for supporting the self-supporting arms on the hob plate. On the other hand the “connecting segment” serves in particular to establish a fluid connection between one or more gas valves of the hob plate and one or more channels that lead from respective gas connections of the connecting segment to the gas outlet openings.

In particular the connecting segment can be realized in the form of a single connecting segment as a result of the fact that, when the pan support is in the attached state, the respective supported sides of the self-supporting arms lie flush against each other, and as a result realize a single or shared connecting segment. As an alternative to this the connecting segment can be realized in a single-material or single-piece manner. In this regard the self-supporting arms can be rigidly connected to each other or be of a single material with each other in particular irrespective of whether the pan support is attached to the hob plate or not.

Accordingly, when the pan support is in the attached state, an entire support structure formed from the self-supporting arms can only be connected to the hob plate at a single point. The accessibility of the hob plate for cleaning and similar can therefore be improved particularly advantageously.

According to a further embodiment the self-supporting arms run obliquely upward from the central area.

In particular the self-supporting arms run obliquely upward in their radial path outward. “Upward” means in particular a direction away from the hob plate when the pan support is attached on the hob plate. Put another way a spacing between the respective self-supporting arm and the hob plate when the pan support is in the attached state can increase in the outward direction.

The accessibility of the hob plate in the area of the pan support when the pan support is in the attached state can therefore be further improved. Furthermore the ventilation of the area beneath the pan support can be improved and as a result the burning behavior of the flame improved when a cooking vessel is placed on the pan support.

An angle of inclination of the arms running obliquely upward preferably comprises between 10° and 20°, particularly preferably between 10° and 15°, and very particularly preferably 13°.

According to a further embodiment in the case of a respective self-supporting arm the bearing surface for the cooking vessel is arranged radially outside the plurality of gas outlet openings.

Therefore a middle or respectively central flame can be advantageously provided under the underside of the cooking vessel.

Where in particular the respective self-supporting arm runs obliquely upward in its radial path outward the radially inner-located gas outlet openings are additionally arranged at a deeper level than the radially outer-located bearing surface. Therefore a spacing between the gas outlet openings and the underside of the cooking vessel placed on the bearing surface can be increased and as a result the underside of the cooking vessel is advantageously placed better at a point of greatest heat of the flame.

According to a further embodiment a respective self-supporting arm has a bulge at its free end. In this regard the bearing surface for the cooking vessel is realized by a surface of the bulge.

“Bulge” is understood in particular to mean a bulge upward, wherein “up” designates a direction that points away from the hob plate along a surface normal of the hob plate when the pan support is in the attached state.

Given that the bearing surface is realized by a surface of the bulge pointing upward a spacing between the underside of the cooking vessel placed on the bearing surface and the gas outlet openings of the self-supporting arm can be further increased and as result the underside of the cooking vessel placed even more favorably at a hottest point of the flames formed at the gas outlet openings.

According to a further embodiment the bearing surface, in particular the bearing surface realized by the surface of the bulge, has a horizontal segment and a sloping segment.

“Horizontal” designates in particular a direction running parallel to the hob plate when the pan support is in the attached state. “Sloping” designates in particular a direction running oblique to the hob plate when the pan support is in the attached state. In particular the sloping segment of the surface of the bulge can run more steeply upward than a surface of the self-supporting arm in the areabetween the central area and the bulge.

An angle of inclination of the sloping segment preferably comprises between 20° and 30°, and particularly preferably 25°.

A pot or pan can be placed advantageously on the horizontal segments of the bearing surfaces of the self-supporting arms. A wok can be advantageously inserted between the sloping segments of the bearing surfaces of the self-supporting arms. The pot, pan, and wok are possible examples of the cooking vessel.

Advantageously the pan support can therefore be used in a flexible manner with various types of cooking vessels.

According to a further embodiment the bearing surface, which is realized in particular by the surface of the bulge, furthermore has a curved segment between the horizontal segment and the sloping segment

In particular the curved segment is a segment in which an inclination of the bearing surface transitions continuously from the horizontal direction to the sloping direction.

The curved segment advantageously permits flexible placing of woks of different sizes and/or woks with different diameters or bend radii respectively between the curved segments of the bearing surfaces of the self-supporting arms.

According to a further embodiment a respective self-supporting arm has two arm segments distanced from each other by an interspace in the peripheral direction. In this regard the gas outlet openings are arranged on the two arm segments and in each case comprise inner gas outlet openings open to the interspace and outer gas outlet openings open to the outside.

The “peripheral direction” designates in particular a peripheral direction with reference to the central area of the pan support or, put another way, a transverse direction of the self-supporting arm that intersects perpendicularly a central axis of the self-supporting arm running in the radial direction.

Put another way the two arm segments of the self-supporting arm run axially symmetrical to a radial central axis of the self-supporting arm.

The interspace can be realized in particular at least in a radial segment of the self-supporting arm. In particular the interspace can reach from the central area to the bulge in the radial direction.

The interspace can also reach over the entire radial extent of the self-supporting arm up to its free end however. Put another way the interspace can be open to the outside in the radial direction of the self-supporting arm. In particular in the present case two arms or fingers respectively running parallel or essentially parallel to each other with an interspace between same are also regarded as two arm segments of one and the same self-supporting arm.

By means of the inner gas outlet openings the total quantity of gas outlet openings of the self-supporting arm can be advantageously increased and therefore the burner output provided by the self-supporting arm raised.

According to a further embodiment, in the case of a respective arm segment the inner gas outlet openings are connected to a first channel and the outer gas outlet openings to a second channel, wherein the first channels are connected to a first gas connection and the second channels to a second gas connection of the connecting segment.

A respective gas connection of the connecting segment is set up in particular, when the pan support is in the attached state, to take in gas from a respective corresponding gas valve provided beneath the hob plate. Put another way two gas valves can be provided on or under the hob plate for the gas cooking point realized by the pan support. Separate regulation (separate switching on/off) of the gas supply via the respective gas valves can be enabled by means of one or more corresponding control elements.

The pan support can therefore enable operation of the corresponding gas cooking point with various output levels. In particular the flame can be optionally provided just at the outer, just at the inner, or both at the outer and at the inner gas outlet openings of the self-supporting arm of the pan support.

According to a further embodiment two adjacent self-supporting arms form a corner with each other. In this regard the interspaces of the adjacent self-supporting arms and the corner are connected by an ignition channel.

In this regard “adjacent self-supporting arms” means self-supporting arms that run in different radial directions and are adjacent to each other in the peripheral direction.

In particular an igniter can be arranged in the corner. The igniter can be a device capable of operation by electrical means for example, which generates a spark when it is operated.

In this regard the ignition channel advantageously permits, by means of just one single igniter, ignition of the outer and the inner gas outlet openings of self-supporting arms that are adjacent in the peripheral direction. Thus for example, when the igniter is operated the outflowing fuel-gas/air mixture can be ignited first at those outer gas outlet openings arranged at the sides of the adjacent self-supporting arms connected via the corner. The burning fuel-gas/air mixture can then spread through the ignition channel to the interspaces of the adjacent self-supporting arms and there bring about ignition of the fuel-gas/air mixture flowing out at the inner gas outlet openings.

The proposed structure with ignition channels therefore advantageously enables simple ignition of the fuel-gas/air mixture provided by the pan support with the self-supporting arms, which have both outer and also inner gas outlet openings.

According to a further embodiment the self-supporting arms are realized in the form of a single-piece or single-material support structure.

“Single-material” means that the support structure of the pan support and/or the pan support is fabricated, in particular formed, from one basic material or raw material respectively. For example the support structure and/or the pan support is produced by means of 3D printing. Costly jointing stages are not needed during production in the case of a single-material support structure. In addition a high-quality appearance of the pan support can be provided.

Additionally a gas hob having a hob plate and at least one pan support as described above is proposed.

The gas hob comprises in particular one or more gas cooking points, where a respective gas cooking point is realized by means of a pan support attached on the hob plate in each case.

In particular the hob plate can have an opening for the respective gas cooking point in which the connecting segment of the corresponding pan support is inserted. A gas valve for supplying fuel-gas for the gas cooking point can be provided beneath the hob plate, and a channel leading from the gas outlet openings to the connecting segment can be provided in the pan support. In this regard the gas cooking point can be set up such that during operation a fuel-gas/air mixture of primary air and fuel-gas provided by the gas valve is routed via the channel to the gas outlet openings.

According to a further embodiment the respective pan support is connected to the hob plate in a detachable manner.

Put another way the respective pan support can be removable.

The detachable connection of the pan support to the hob plate advantageously enables simpler cleaning of the hob plate and the pan support. Additionally the risk of impact, getting caught up, tangling of cables, etc. presented by the self-supporting arms can be reduced during periods of non-use, in that the pan supports can be removed and stored.

According to a further embodiment the detachable connection is a screw connection, which can be detached by twisting the pan support with respect to the hob plate.

The screw connection can enable stable anchoring of the pan support in the hob plate. At the same time an adequate levering effect can be achieved via the self-supporting arms while the pan support is being twisted out, which makes it possible for a user to twist the pan support out in a simple manner in spite of the stable anchoring of the pan support.

Furthermore a method for operating a gas hob is proposed in which, at a respective gas cooking point, a fuel-gas/air mixture is routed through a channel integrated in a pan support to gas outlet openings. The pan support is implemented in particular as described above and below.

Furthermore a method for producing a pan support, in particular as described above, is proposed, where the pan support is produced by means of 3D printing, in particular selective laser melting.

This has the advantage that complex shapes of the pan support can be produced. For example the channel can already be provided inside the pan support during the 3D printing. Furthermore it is possible to take account of individual customer wishes, and those that cannot be produced with conventional methods (for large numbers of items), during the fabrication of such pan supports.

The embodiments and features described for the proposed pan support apply correspondingly to the gas hob and the proposed methods.

Further possible implementations of the invention also comprise combinations that are not explicitly stated of features or embodiments described above or below with reference to the exemplary embodiments. In this regard a person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects to the respective basic form of the invention as improvements or additions.

Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention form the subject of the dependent claims and also the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below. Furthermore the invention is explained in detail on the basis of preferred embodiments by reference to the enclosed figures.

FIG. 1 shows a pan support according to a first exemplary embodiment in schematic form;

FIG. 2 shows a gas hob with two gas cooking points according to the first exemplary embodiment in a cross-section II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a pan support attached to a hob plate according to a second exemplary embodiment and a pan placed on same;

FIG. 4 shows the pan support in FIG. 3 with a wok placed on same;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a pan support according to a third exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates a configuration for feeding in the fuel-gas/air mixture in the case of the pan support in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7a-7d illustrate an ignition process in the case of the pan support in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a pan support according to a fourth exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 9 shows a pan support according to a fifth exemplary embodiment.

In the figures identical or functionally identical elements have been labeled with the same reference symbols unless indicated otherwise.

FIG. 1 shows a gas cooking point 1 with a pan support 2 according to a first exemplary embodiment in schematic form, and FIG. 2 shows a gas hob 4 with two gas coking pints 1 in a cross section II-II in FIG. 1. The first exemplary embodiment is described on the basis of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2

The gas hob 4 is an example of a household appliance and can be built in to an item of furniture 3, such as a base unit, for example. The gas hob 4 has a hob plate 8 with two gas cooking points 1. It is understood however that the quantity of gas cooking points 1 can be as required. The hob plate 8 can be a steel sheet, a glass plate, or a glass-ceramic plate for example.

Each gas cooking point 1 has a pan support 2 according to the first exemplary embodiment. Each pan support 2 of the gas hob 4 has four self-supporting arms 5. Each self-supporting arm 5 has a quantity of gas outlet openings 6 and also a bearing surface 7 for a cooking vessel (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). The pan supports 2 are attached to a hob plate 8 of the gas hob 4.

The respective pan support 2 is set up to support a cooking vessel (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) placed on the bearing surfaces 7 with the aid of a support structure formed out of the four self-supporting arms 5. Additionally the respective pan support 2 is set up to form a flame beneath the cooking vessel. To do this a fuel-gas/air mixture can be supplied at the gas outlet openings 6 of the self-supporting arms 5, which in particular can be ignited to provide the flame. Ignition can be effected manually by a user or automatically by an igniter (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2).

Each gas cooking point 1 furthermore has a control element 9. The control element 9 is set up to regulate at least one gas valve or gas control valve (not shown) arranged beneath the hob plate 8, with the aid of which a fuel-gas/air mixture stream supplied to the respective pan support 2 can be optionally switched on, switched off and, activated in particular in a stepless manner. Alternatively the gas control valves can also be set up to regulate the fuel-gas/air mixture stream supplied to the respective pan support 2 in a stepped manner. That is to say the gas control valves can be realized in the form of stepped gas control valves or in the form of so-called step valves.

It can be seen especially in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 that a respective self-supporting arm 5 is only connected to the hob plate 8 at a supported side of same and accordingly is supported by the hob plate 8.

In the particularly preferred variant of the first exemplary embodiment illustrated the supported sides of all self-supporting arms 5 of a respective pan support 1 are located in a central area 10 of the pan support 1. To put it another way the self-supporting arms 5 run radially outward from the central area 10 of the pan support 2. A single connecting segment 11 is realized in the central area 10 for connecting the self-supporting arms 5 to the hob plate 8 of the gas hob 4. The connecting segment 11 therefore serves as a single base or foot that supports the entire pan support 2.

FIG. 3 shows a pan support 2 attached to a hob plate 8 according to a second exemplary embodiment and a pan 12 placed on same.

In contrast to the pan support 2 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 the self-supporting arms 5 in the case of the pan support 2 in FIG. 3 run, in their radial path outward from the central area 10, obliquely upward 13, i.e. away from the hob plate 8. In this regard the gas outlet openings 6 are realized in a radially inner segment of the respective self-supporting arms 5. In a radially outer segment the respective self-supporting arm 5 has a bulge 14 bulging in an upward direction. The respective bulge 14 has a surface that serves as a bearing surface 7 for the cooking vessel 12.

In particular the radially outer segment of the respective self-supporting arm 5 with the bearing surface 7 is therefore arranged further up than the radially inner segment of the gas outlet openings 6. Therefore the distance between the bottom of the pan 12 and the gas outlet openings 6 is larger than would be the case for the horizontally running self-supporting arms 5 shown in FIG. 1, and the flames at the gas outlet openings 6 can be supplied centrally under the bottom of the pan 12. As a result an efficient transfer of energy to the contents of the pan 12 can be ensured.

In particular the bearing surface 7 has a horizontal segment 15 and a sloping segment 16. The horizontal segment 15 runs parallel to the hob plate 8. The sloping segment 16 points inward with reference to the pan support 2, i.e. it is tilted in the direction of the central segment 10.

The pan 12 can be placed on the horizontal segments 15 of the bearing surfaces 7 in particular in a stable manner.

FIG. 4 shows the pan support 2 in FIG. 3 with a wok placed on same.

The wok 19 has a rounded bottom. Consequently, unlike the pan 12 in FIG. 3, the wok 19 is not placed on the horizontal segments 15 of the bearing surfaces 7 but instead is inserted between the sloping segments 16 of the bearing surfaces 7.

The pan support 2 in FIGS. 3 and 4 is inserted with its connecting segment 11 in to an opening 17 of the hob plate. In particular the connection between the pan support 2 and the hob plate 8 is detachable. For example the detachable connection between the connecting segment 11 and the opening 17 in the hob plate 8 can be a screw connection.

In particular a sealing mechanism (not shown) can be provided. Whenever the pan support 2 is unscrewed or removed respectively from the hob plate 2, the said sealing mechanism can ensure that the opening 17 in the hob plate 8 is closed in a liquid-tight, gas-tight, and dust-tight manner.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a pan support 2 according to a third exemplary embodiment.

The pan support 2 comprises for example four self-supporting arms 5, one of which is described below by way of example.

In a radial area in which the gas outlet openings 6 are realized the self-supporting arm 5 has two arm segments 21, 22 spaced apart in the peripheral direction 20. An interspace 23 is realized between the two arm segments 21, 22. Each of the arm segments 21, 22 has inner gas outlet openings 24, which face the interspace 23, and also outer gas outlet openings 25, which point outward.

The interspace 23 of the self-supporting arm 5 reaches in the radial direction from the central area 10 of the pan support 22 to the radially inner side of the bulge 14. The bearing surface 7 additionally has a curved segment 16 between the horizontal segment 15 and the sloping segment 26.

FIG. 6 illustrates a configuration for feeding in the fuel-gas/air mixture in the case of the pan support 2 in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 especially shows a schematic horizontal section through the pan support 2 in FIG. 5.

As can be seen in FIG. 6 the inner gas outlet openings 24 of the two arm segments 21, 22 are connected to a respective first channel 27. The outer gas outlet openings 25 are connected to a respective second channel 28.

The two first channels 27 are connected to a first gas connection 29, which is only shown in schematic form in FIG. 6, and which is arranged on the underside (not shown in FIG. 6) of the connecting segment 11 in the central area 10 of the pan support 2. The two second channels 28 are connected to a second gas connection 30, which is likewise arranged on the underside of the connecting segment 11.

The pan support 2 set up in such a manner can be attached to a corresponding hob plate 8 (FIGS. 1, 2), in which two corresponding gas valves (not shown) are provided for each gas cooking point (FIG. 2). The control elements 9 (FIG. 2) can be set up such that they enable separate switching on or off for each of the two gas valves of the gas cooking point 1 (FIG. 2). Therefore a fuel-gas supply through the channels 27 to the inner gas outlet openings 24 and a fuel-gas supply through the channels 28 to the outer gas outlet openings 25 can be switched on and off independently of each other.

The pan support 2 of the present exemplary embodiment therefore permits the burner output of the gas cooking point 1 (FIG. 2) to be regulated according to need, in that a flame can be provided either just at the inner gas outlet openings 24, just at the outer gas outlet openings 25, or both at the inner 24 and also at the outer gas outlet openings 25 as needed.

FIGS. 7a-7d illustrate an ignition process in the case of the pan support 2 in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIGS. 7a-7d especially show schematic horizontal sections through the pan support 2.

As shown in FIG. 7a two respective self-supporting arms 5 a-5 d, being adjacent in the peripheral direction 20, of the pan support 2 form a respective corner 31 a-31 d. A respective ignition channel 32 a-32 d is realized in the interior of the pan support 2, which connects the interspaces 23 of each two adjacent self-supporting arms 5 a-d and the corner 31 a-d realized between the two adjacent self-supporting arms 5 a-d to each other. An electrically operable igniter 33 a, 33 c is arranged in two of the four corners 31 a, 31 c.

The ignition process is now described on the basis of FIGS. 7b to 7d in conjunction with FIG. 6.

At the start of the ignition process the fuel-gas/air mixture is fed to the two gas connections 29, 30 of the connecting segment 11. The igniters 33 a, 33 c are then operated. For example a spark is generated with the aid of the igniter 33 a, 33 c by means of electric current. The spark ignites the fuel-gas/air mixture, which flows out of those of the outer gas outlet openings 25 that are adjacent to one of the corners 33 a, 33 c. This results in flames 34 being provided at those outer gas outlet openings 25 that face the corners 33 a, 33 c, as shown in FIG. 7 b.

The burning fuel-gas/air mixture can then flow through the ignition channels 32 a, 32 c in to all four interspaces 23. This results in ignition of the fuel-gas/air mixture flowing out of the inner gas outlet openings 24. From the interspaces 23 the burning fuel-gas/air mixture can flow onward through the ignition channels 32 b, 32 d in to the corners 31 b and 31 d and there ignite the fuel-gas/air mixture flowing out of the outer gas outlet openings 25 facing the said corners 31 d, 31 d.

Accordingly corresponding flames 34 are provided at all inner 24 and outer 25 gas outlet openings, as shown in FIG. 7 c.

In some cases only a small burner output is required, for example because a small cooking vessel 12, 19 (FIGS. 3, 4) is placed on the bearing surfaces 7 (FIGS. 3, 4 5). In this case the user can use the control element 9 (FIG. 2), after the ignition process, as described on the basis of FIGS. 7a-c , to switch off the gas feed to one of the two gas connections 29. 30. FIG. 7d shows a case in which the gas feed has been switched off to the gas connection 30, which is connected to the outer gas outlet openings 25 via the second channels 28. As can be seen in FIG. 7d corresponding flames 34 are then only provided at the inner gas outlet openings 24.

The pan support 2 therefore permits a flexible regulation of the burner output as required.

FIG. 8 shows a pan support 2 according to a fourth exemplary embodiment. The pan support 2 in FIG. 8 has five self-supporting arms 5 in place of four.

FIG. 9 shows a pan support 2 according to a fifth exemplary embodiment. In the pan support 2 in FIG. 9 the interspace 23 extends outward from the central area 10 via the entire radial extent of the self-supporting arm 5. Correspondingly the arm segments 21, 22 also extend via the entire radial extent of the self-supporting arm 5. The interspace 23 is open to the outside in the radial direction.

The respective self-supporting arm 5 has no bulge (14 in FIGS. 5, 8). Instead a bearing surface 7 is realized by means of upward-pointing 13 surfaces of the arm segments 21, 22. The pan support in FIG. 9 is therefore suitable in particular for a wok 19 (FIG. 4).

The pan support 2 according to the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 9 is produced for example by means of 3D printing, in particular selective laser melting. In this regard it is possible to produce the self-supporting arms 5 and/or the connecting segment 11 as a single-material component, in particular with first and second channels 27, 28 provided in same and/or ignition channels 32 provided in same, and/or gas outlet openings 6, 24, 25 provided in same. For example the pan support 2 is fabricated from one metal or the pan support has one metal.

Although the present invention has been described on the basis of exemplary embodiments it can be modified in multiple ways.

It is not a requirement to realize the pan support 2 in a single-material manner. It is also conceivable to realize the pan support 2 in the form of a set of separate self-supporting arms 5, which can be inserted separately in to an opening 17 in the hob plate 8, wherein the one single connecting segment 11 is produced in that the supported ends of the self-supporting arms 5 lie against each other in the inserted position of the self-supporting arms 5, and therefore configure a shared connecting segment 11. In the conceived embodiment a respective gas connection or respective gas connections 29, 30 can be realized separately in each supported end of each self-supporting arm 5.

In the pan support in FIG. 9 two bulges 14 can also be provided, in a radially outer manner on a respective self-supporting arm 5, on the arm segments 21, 22 on both sides of the interspace 23.

REFERENCE NUMERALS USED

-   1 Gas cooking point -   2 Pan support -   3 Furniture item -   4 Gas hob -   5 Self-supporting arm -   6 Gas outlet openings -   7 Bearing surface -   8 Hob plate -   9 Control element -   10 Central area -   11 Connecting segment -   12 Cooking vessel (pan) -   13 Up direction -   14 Bulge -   15 Horizontal segment -   16 Sloping segment -   17 Opening -   18 Gas pipe -   19 Cooking vessel (wok) -   20 Peripheral direction -   21 Arm segment -   22 Arm segment -   23 Interspace -   24 Inner gas outlet openings -   25 Outer gas outlet openings -   26 Curved segment -   27 First channel -   28 Second channel -   29 First gas connection -   30 Second gas connection -   31 Corner -   32 Ignition channel -   33 Igniter -   34 Flame 

1-15 (canceled)
 16. A pan support for a gas hob, said pan support comprising self-supporting arms, which each have a bearing surface for a cooking vessel and a plurality of gas-outlet openings for supplying a fuel-gas/air mixture for forming a flame beneath the cooking vessel.
 17. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the self-supporting arms each run radially outward from a central area of the pan support, said central area of the pan support configured to form a single connecting segment for connecting the self-supporting arms to a hob plate of the gas hob.
 18. The pan support of claim 17, wherein the self-supporting arms run obliquely upward from the central area.
 19. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the bearing surface of the self-supporting arms is arranged radially outside the plurality of gas outlet openings.
 20. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the self-supporting arms have a free end formed with a bulge, with the bearing surface for the cooking vessel being realized by a surface of the bulge.
 21. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the bearing surface has a horizontal segment and a sloping segment.
 22. The pan support of claim 21, wherein the bearing surface has a curved segment between the horizontal segment and the sloping segment.
 23. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the self-supporting arms each have two arm segments distanced from each other by an interspace in a peripheral direction, said plurality of gas outlet openings being arranged on the two arm segments and comprising inner gas outlet openings which are open to the interspace and outer gas outlet openings which are open to an outside.
 24. The pan support of claim 23, wherein the self-supporting arms each run radially outward from a central area of the pan support, said central area of the pan support configured to form a single connecting segment for connecting the self-supporting arms to a hob plate of the gas hob, wherein the inner gas outlet openings of the arm segments are connected to a first channel and the outer gas outlet openings of the arm segments are connected to a second channel, the first channel being connected to a first gas connection and the second channel being connected to a second gas connection of the connecting segment.
 25. The pan support of claim 23, wherein two adjacent ones of the self-supporting arms form a corner with each other, with the interspaces of the adjacent self-supporting arms and the corner being connected by an ignition channel.
 26. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the self-supporting arms are realized in the form of a single-piece or single-material support structure.
 27. A gas hob, comprising: a hob plate; and a pan support disposed on the hob plate and comprising self-supporting arms, which each have a bearing surface for a cooking vessel and a plurality of gas-outlet openings for supplying a fuel-gas/air mixture for forming a flame beneath the cooking vessel.
 28. The gas hob of claim 27, wherein the pan support is connected to the hob plate in a detachable manner.
 29. The gas hob of claim 27, wherein the pan support is connected to the hob plate via a screw connection, which is detachable by twisting the pan support with respect to the hob plate.
 30. The gas hob of claim 27, wherein the self-supporting arms of the pan support each run radially outward from a central area of the pan support, said central area of the pan support configured to form a single connecting segment for connecting the self-supporting arms to the hob plate.
 31. The gas hob of claim 30, wherein the self-supporting arms each have two arm segments distanced from each other by an interspace in a peripheral direction, said plurality of gas outlet openings being arranged on the two arm segments and comprising inner gas outlet openings which are open to the interspace and outer gas outlet openings which are open to an outside, said self-supporting arms each running radially outward from a central area of the pan support, said central area of the pan support configured to form a single connecting segment for connecting the self-supporting arms to the hob plate, wherein the inner gas outlet openings of the arm segments are connected to a first channel and the outer gas outlet openings of the arm segments are connected to a second channel, the first channel being connected to a first gas connection and the second channel being connected to a second gas connection of the connecting segment.
 32. A method, comprising producing a pan support for a gas hob by a 3D printing process.
 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the 3D printing process comprises selective laser melting.
 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the pan support is produced by forming self-supporting arms such as to each have a bearing surface for a cooking vessel and a plurality of gas-outlet openings for supplying a fuel-gas/air mixture for forming a flame beneath the cooking vessel. 